Apparent 'homicide-suicide' being investigated in Montgomery and Stewart counties

CLARKSVILLE — Police are investigating an apparent "homicide-suicide" between a husband and wife that began in Stewart County and ended in Montgomery County on Friday night.

At about 5 p.m. Friday, someone tipped off the Stewart County Sheriff's Office that something was amiss and deputies went to a home on Barkley Lake in the Bumpus Mills area.

"We had a report from a friend of the family that basically came in as a welfare check for the female," said SCSO Sgt. Jody Batton. "We ran down to check her well being, made entry into the home and found her deceased."

There were obviously signs of foul play, although deputies will not say how she died until an autopsy is performed.

"Things just didn't add up," Batton said.

A short time later, Montgomery County deputies were sent to a Woodlawn home, where they found the woman's husband dead of an apparent suicide.

"The husband was a person of interest," in the Stewart County slaying, Batton said. "We are working it has a homicide-suicide because that is what it appears to be."

While the Stewart County Sheriff's Office did not identify the couple, the MCSO identified them Saturday as Patricia and Ronald Anthony Kennedy.

According to 911 logs, Ronald Anthony Kennedy called his employee stating he had killed his wife and was going to kill himself, said MCSO Sheriff's Office Spokeswoman Sandra Brandon.

Patricia Ann Kennedy, 55, was found deceased in their residence in the 100 block of Cedar Point Road by SCSO deputies first., she said.

Ronald Anthony Kennedy, 57, was found deceased near their residence in the 2600 block of St. Paul Road by MCSO deputies at 7:25 p.m.

The wife was found in the living area of the lake house the couple owns off Tobacco Road.

Batton said the Stewart County Sheriff's Office is working with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Patricia Kennedy is listed as the president and Ronald "Tony" Kennedy as the vice president of Kennedy Portable Toilets. The company has offices in Woodlawn, Clarksville and Nashville.